How to Create Organized Drop-zones

There is nothing that I love more than being able to go to a particular area of my space and simply grab what I need. That's what I love about drop-zones because they can be set-up in various areas of your home. I like to think of drop-zones like a stoplight. When you see a drop-zone, imagine a 'red light' which means that you have to stop at the drop-zone. My friend & fellow organizer Tamar of Tidee Living states that the 'yellow light' indicates being cautious and aware of where you place your items and to assess if the drop-zone is the appropriate storage solution. Lastly, the 'green light' indicates that you can only move further within your space once you place the item into the drop-zone. And drop-zones are really simple to set-up whether you decide to use a tray, basket, bin, box, hook, or ottoman. But before deciding on which organizing tool to use, you first have to understand the goal of the space.

So, when Tamar, asked me to join her on her Instagram Live last week to discuss drop-zones, I couldn't wait because I can talk about organization all day long. But I will spare you for now and just provide a quick re-cap of what was discussed.

1. What is a drop-zone in a home? A drop zone in a home is a specific setup of storage items or hooks to contain particular items to prevent the items from taking over your space. I like to think or compare drop-zones to a traffic light signal. Think red when you see the drop-zone, it’s your cue to stop. However, in order to go - which is your green light, then you can only do that by dropping the items into their specific drop-zone setups.
2. How do you create a drop zone? Before organizing, you will need to think about the purpose of the drop zone. Is the drop-zone for a person who may struggle with not placing items in the appropriate place? Is the drop-zone for specific items to be stored? Those may questions to ask yourself. So, once you understand that then you can move forward with creating a drop-zone. I like drop-zones because they don’t have to be complicated. Drop-zones can literally be a hook that you place up on a wall which is a drop-zone to hang up your keys. Or it can be a basket where book bag are placed. A drop-zone should flow and be an enhancement to your space.
3. What are some drop-zone organizing ideas? There are so many but I will share a couple. The first is setting up some type of collapsible bin or container by the door, garage or entryway, or maybe even by the bedroom door. This drop-zone is for those individuals who like to come home and just take off their clothes and throw them anywhere. So, even though I’m organized, I have to be realistic with where people are in their organizing journey or education of being organized and meet them where they are. I understand that someone can have a long day of work and are looking to unwind but having a pile of clothes just laying in the middle of the floor isn’t conducive to unwinding and will still require you to pick them up. So, having a place to just immediately drop those clothes into prevents a mess and still allows you to have an organized space. Another great use of drop-zones is being able to quickly store objects as soon as you come into the home such as your keys or cellphone. When you’re coming in the house, it’s possible to have so many things going on at once but having a clear tray or bin to store keys is helpful. I can’t tell you how many times, I have struggled with finding keys or my phone but having a designated drop-zone for those items definitely helped. And for these smaller items, I’d like to also suggest using clear storage pieces because they allow you to quickly view the contents which saves you time from having to search.
4. What is the difference between a mudroom and a drop-zone? My perspective is that a mudroom is a specifically designed area in a home near the door or garage to take off dirty or muddy shoes (hence the name mud room), coats, jackets, bags and a place to sit down to prevent tracking a mess throughout the home. A drop-zone can be a singular item such as a hook, basket, bin, or container to store specific items. Drop-zones can also be moved whereas mudrooms are typically built-in into the home or may require some assembly to put together or breakdown.
5. How to create a mail drop-zone in your home? What I have done in my space is used a napkin holder to store my mail - see here. I’ve placed these items on a table that’s not too far from the door so that I don’t have to carry the mail into my space. Once I am ready and set some time aside, I go through the mail and take immediate action. The reason I like to have the setup close to the door is to prevent possibly dropping the mail down and not coming back to it or having it pile up. The great thing about drop-zones is that they have occurred based on a need. So, I would find myself struggling with something but would quickly come up with a solution. I’m organized but not perfect and I know how to quickly establish organized systems.
6. How do you create a drop-zone in your entryway even if you don’t have the space? I love ottomans because they’re multi-functional for so many reasons. They provide style and décor to your space and that’s nice to see as soon as you walk into your home. Two, it provides you a place to sit down when putting on and taking off your shoes. And three, the ottoman serves as storage to store socks or slippers for when you have guests over so that shoes aren’t worn inside of the house. I was brought up with the belief that shoes are not to be worn inside the house and they’re removed as soon as you enter into a space.
7. An entryway typically has wall-space, so I always like to encourage maximizing vertical storage, if ground space is limited. There are command hooks or shelving units that can go up to provide additional storage. And if there is no closet space to store shoes, limited space for a shoe rack, then place a basket by the ottoman which can hold your shoes. I would also like to recommend a mirror and artwork. It brings the whole entryway look together and the mirror is a nice touch because you can take a good look of yourself before heading out the door.
8. What are some tools you need for an organized drop zone? I like to find a balance between re-purposing and purchasing affordable, quality products. So, shoe boxes, mason jars or up-cycled jars make for great organized drop-zones. The clear jars can be used to store the keys. Baskets, ottomans, hooks, bins, containers are also great tools for an organized drop-zone because they can be placed anywhere. As I mentioned before, ottomans provide a sense of style and storage. Hooks and shelving units provide an opportunity to maximize vertical space.

Here is how I set up an an organized entry-way utilizing a basket and an ottoman to create a drop-zone: